Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controlled low temperature chamber for a microscope.
It is necessary in many phases of technological development to observe materials at very low temperatures in the cryogenic range. Such observation permits study of the melting and solidification characteristics of materials with low melting points as well as other aspects of the behavior of materials at low temperatures.
The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for permitting microscopic observation of materials in a low temperature environment.
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which permits the observation of materials with an optical microscope at controlled, variable, low temperatures, down to 4 degrees K.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which permits study of the melting and solidification characteristics of materials with low melting points as well as other aspects of the behavior of materials at low temperatures.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is capable of imposing a controlled or zero temperature gradient on a sample and of moving such gradient along such sample in a controlled manner, thereby directionally solidifying or melting such sample.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a controlled low temperature chamber for a microscope.
Another object of the invention is to provide a controlled low temperature chamber for a microscope which chamber is mountable on a standard microscope stage, whereby a sample in such chamber may be scanned by motion of such stage and the progress of solidification or melting reactions may be monitored in situ.